


Never Grow Up

by Justanotherpanickinggay



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bisexual Peter Parker, F/M, Family Feels, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Songfic, Sort of Avengers Endgame compliant, Tony Stark Dies, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:48:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21675514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justanotherpanickinggay/pseuds/Justanotherpanickinggay
Summary: A song-fic based on the effects of Endgame on Tony's family.
Relationships: Ned Leeds/Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Never Grow Up

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently this is emotional that's what my friend said who edited it (thanks btw you're great:)). This is based on the Taylor Swift song “Never Grow Up” but more specifically the cover of it by BBC Children in Need from the Got it Covered album. Also I'm sorry I haven't posted in the We are Family series recently but I promise I will post before January.

_Your little hands wrapped around my finger_ _  
And it's so quiet in the world tonight  
Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming  
So I tuck you in, turn on your favourite night light_

Tony picked up the little girl amazed at her beauty. He loved her, his little daughter, and he was going to protect her from whatever the world threw at them. He held her close and remembered when Peter had been this small. But Peter was gone now and there was nothing that would bring him back. All he could do now was keep Morgan safe. Thanos would never touch her as long as he was there.

_To you everything's funny, you got nothing to regret_

Morgan ran towards Tony laughing and smiling on unsteady legs. He picked her up cheering and took her upstairs in his arms telling her the story of her big brother Peter who she never got to meet and his exciting adventures with super villains and churros. They got juice pops and he smudged some across her nose making her giggle in that joyful, uncontrollable way that little kids do.  
“I love you tons.” Tony said tucking her in.  
“I love you 3,000.” She replied.  
Tony smiled. “Wow 3,000. That's crazy.” He whispered to her turning off the light. “Go to bed. Or I'll sell all your toys.” He continued as he left the room. She giggled.

_I'd give all I have, honey_ _  
If you could stay like that_.

“And I am Iron Man.” Tony said scared but sure of his decision. As he clicked Tony thought of them. He wished he could have frozen all of the moments he had had with his family forever and just let Morgan and Peter be happy the way that kids should be. But he couldn’t he had to do what he had to do next for their sake. And it hurt like hell, but he knew they’d be loved by all the people he would save. His memory would live on in them all. And he’d always love them 3000. The light that surrounded him faded and the army around him began to fade too turning to dust and disappearing just as he had seen his own son do 5 years ago.

Tony wasn’t entirely aware of where he was. He was aware of the overwhelming pain that filled his arm and rose up enveloping his whole body and he saw Rhodey look down at him emotion filling his eyes and then he could see Peter come into his field of vision. He wanted to reach out and hold him, but he couldn’t move.  
  


“Mr. Stark? Hey... Mr. Stark? Can you hear me?” The boy sobbed. “It's Peter. We won Mr Stark.” He took in a choked breath, “We won, Mr Stark we won, and you did it, sir. You did it.” He continued to cry “I'm sorry... Dad.” Peter stuttered as he felt Pepper put her hands on his shoulders and Rhodey pull him back holding him close.

“Hey.” Pepper whispered as she leant down in front of him putting her hand on his glowing heart.

“Hey, Pep...” He breathed barely able to keep his eyes focused on her. He lifted his hand up and placed it on hers as she kept it steady on his chest.

“Friday?” She asked holding back tears.

“Life functions critical.” The voice replied quietly.

“Tony. Look at me.” She smiled tearfully. “We're gonna be okay. You can rest now.” She said smoothing his hair out of his face as his head fell back softly against the rubble the life slowly fading from his eyes. The light in his chest faded too and Pepper kissed his cheek one last time crying quietly.  
  


Steve and Thor looked on at the man who had sacrificed himself before them. Then one by one each hero kneeled: Clint, T’Challa, Carol, Quill, Nebula, Valkyrie, Scott, Steve, Thor, Bruce, Stephen, Wanda, Sam, Bucky, Shuri, Okoye, Drax, Mantis. Each took their place honouring Tony who though he had barely known some of them had laid down his life without hesitation to save them all and so many more knowing that he would never see his children grow up. They all knew that what they had lost could never be replaced.

  
  
_Oh darling, don't you ever grow up  
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little  
_ _Oh darling, don't you ever grow up_ _  
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple_

“When’s daddy coming back?” Morgan asked looking up at Peter innocently. He smiled softly. It was a few months since the funeral and Peter had gone to live back with his mum and Morgan. He had loved his little sister immediately and he wished she didn’t have to grow up in a world like this but what could he do.  
  


“Daddy’s in the stars Maguna and he’s watching over us and looking out for us even if he isn’t here.” Peter replied tears slowly reaching his eyes. She hugged onto Peter tightly.  
  


“I want juice pops.” She said. Peter laughed.  
  


“Ok let’s go find some,” he said lifting her up onto his shoulders.

_  
I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart  
And no one will desert you  
Just try to never grow up_

Morgan ran towards Peter laughing and smiling out of her first day of school. He picked her up and put her on his shoulders carrying her towards home. Pepper made cheeseburgers and the three of them sat on the porch watching the stars and eating juice pops while they told Morgan stories of her father Tony and his various crazy escapades making her giggle in that joyful uncontrollable way that little kids do until Morgan fell asleep in Peter’s arms. He took her upstairs and put her in her bed.  
“I love you tons.” Peter said tucking her in.  
“I love you 3,000.” She mumbled sleepily.  
Peter smiled and turned off the light.

  
_You're in the car on the way to the school  
And you're mortified your mom's dropping you off _

“Mum please don’t do that you’re embarrassing me in front of my friends.” Morgan groaned though she secretly loved the fact her mum was there with her. She wished her father was there too. Pepper laughed hugging her again.

“Oh, but I’m so proud of you” She smiled as Morgan and her walked out of the awards ceremony and through the dark to the school parking lot. Both wished Tony was there but neither said anything to the other it was an unspoken agreement. Morgan looked up at the stars and remembered what Peter had said to her all those years ago. She knew her dad was with her and she knew she had made him proud too.

_At 14 there's just so much you can't do_ _  
And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots  
But don't make her drop you off around the block  
Remember that she's getting older too_  
 _And don't lose the way that you dance around in your pj's getting ready for school_

She shouted at her mum “Maybe you should be gone too cos dad could have done a way better job at raising me anyway!” She ran outside and down to the lake where she sat on the old bench. It had been ten years since her father had died and today it didn’t feel any easier.

A few minutes later she heard the back door open and close and the sound of someone walking down the garden towards her. She felt Peter sit down beside her and put her head onto his lap. He stroked her hair while she sobbed.

“It was stupid. I swear I didn’t mean anything I said to her I just couldn’t control myself.” She sobbed. “Cos even now I miss him y’know. He’s been gone for a whole decade and I still wish I could bring him back.” Peter put his arm around her.

“So do I.” He replied. “Every day. I used to see him in everything when I was younger. For months I couldn’t go into the lab without crying and I couldn’t go out in the streets because I’d see some graffiti somewhere honouring him. The whole world was paying tribute to him and it was like a massive scar of all I had lost and could never get back. I used to argue with mum for hours convinced that I should have died instead of him, convinced that one of us could have stopped it. For years the only thing that filled me when I thought about him was sadness. There was nothing good I could remember about him.” She sat up putting her head on his shoulder.

“How did you make it feel better?” She asked wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

“Well it wasn’t easy but one day it started to feel a bit less sad. I started remembering the happy as well. Like the scar was slowly starting to heal. My friends helped and so did you and Mum and Harley and Happy. He was great like a second dad. Picked me up from anywhere, helped me solve my problems no questions asked and didn’t tell mum when I messed up. What you all did for me was amazing it didn’t stop the hurt, but it made it more manageable.” He said as Morgan sniffled. “Then one day I woke up and I had this urge to go into the lab in the garage and I saw all our old projects and I cried for ages and just sat there. And then I remembered how we used to laugh together and how he used to call me stupid names and how he always stuck up my drawings on the wall regardless of how bad they were.” He chuckled lightly. “I remembered what was good about him and started to see that what he happened to him no one wanted but he did it for us. He did it because he couldn’t stand the idea of us never waking up to see another sunrise. I learnt to love life again even if it was without him; but it took a long time and on days like these it still hurts.” The two of them sat in silence for a few moments just watching the sky.

“Do you remember what I told you when you were really little?” Peter asked. Morgan nodded.

“I asked you where dad was, and you said he’s in the stars and he’s watching over us and looking out for us even if he isn’t here.” She replied.

“That’s still true now and it always will be.” Peter replied. They heard the back door open and close again and this time Pepper walked down the garden to sit with the too.

“I’m sorry mum.” Morgan said hugging her tightly. “I didn’t mean it. I just miss him.”

“It’s ok honey me too.” She replied holding Morgan tightly.

“Love you 3000 mum.”

  
_Oh darling, don't you ever grow up  
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little  
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up  
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple  
No one's ever burned you, nothing's ever left you scarred  
And even though you want to, just try to never grow up_

The avengers were crowded round the table eating and laughing. It was December and between them they all had something to celebrate. Peter couldn’t help but feel slightly sad. He loved them all but ever since he had lost his dad days like these felt like there was something missing. After they had eaten, they all crowded around in the living room to watch WALLE (a severely underrated film in Peter’s opinion that he had made Tony watch at least 3000 times and later Ned watch when they had started dating). Peter curled up between Ned and Morgan but about halfway through he couldn’t really concentrate on the film anymore. He carefully lifted the sleeping Morgan off his shoulder and slipped out of the door to sit on the porch. He stared at the stars. After a few minutes Pepper came to sit beside him.

“Hey kiddo.” She said putting her arm around him. “You ok?”

“Mum I’m 27. I’m not a kid anymore.” He said feigning annoyance.

“You’ll always be my kiddo.” She smiled ruffling his hair. “Anyway, you didn’t answer my question, did you?”

“No, I’m not ok. I miss him. Days like these, the happy days, they’re the worst because all I can think about is how he would have made everyone laugh or how he would have chased after me and Morgan when we had sticky fingers from baking or how he would have fallen asleep with us on the couch.” He said.

“He would be proud of you, you know. You kept living. Even when he left. You’ve come so far. You grew up and moved on, but you kept him with you. And as much as I wish you could stay my little baby Peter forever you have built this amazing life for yourself in the city with your friends, your boyfriend and you’re happy.”

“I love you mum.” He said.

“I love you 3000.”

  
_Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room  
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home  
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said  
And all your older brothers’ favourite songs  
I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone_

“Morgan are you ready it starts in 5 minutes” Pepper shouted up the stairs. She smoothed down her hair and ran down the stairs pulling on her shoes as she sped out the door.

The guests were already gathering outside, and she hurriedly walked towards Peter who was waiting under the rose arch near the lake that their mum had made.

“Is he here yet?” She asked as she stood beside him.

“Not yet,” He replied wringing his hands out.

“He’ll be here I promise.” She said.

Suddenly everyone was sat down, and the bridal march started playing. And along came Ned walking down the aisle with his mum by his side. The ceremony was short but sweet with personalised vows and an unreasonable number of Star Wars puns. But Peter was happy. From there the group went to a set of tables organised under a canopy in the garden. Everyone began collecting food and after they had finally settled down Morgan tapped her glass calling for a toast.

“Hi everyone. I’m Morgan and I’m here to give the obligatory Best Man speech despite the fact that I’m not a man.” Everyone laughed. “So, I guess I’m best woman? Anyway, Peter Benjamin Stark has been one of the most important people in my life since the day I was born which may be odd to some of you because I didn’t meet him until I was 4. The thing is when I did meet him, I already knew him because he had been in my life through my father’s stories. To me he has always been hilarious, crazy, clever and ultimately my hero and that’s saying a lot considering my father was Iron Man.” This was met with more chuckles. “He was there with me through everything; the first day of school, every Christmas and every birthday he has gone above and beyond in every situation. He taught me quadratic equations and went to see every school play I was in. He has laughed with me, cried with me, called me stupid names and stuck up every single one of my drawings on the wall regardless of how bad they were. I guess what I’m trying to say is I want to wish him the best in his new life and say thank you for everything he has done for me. And most of all I want to tell him I love him 3000.” Everyone clapped and Peter stood up tears in his eyes hugging Morgan.

_Oh darling, don't you ever grow up_ _  
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little  
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up  
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple  
I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart  
And no one will desert you  
Just try to never grow up, _

Peter hummed as he sketched a new design for the Spiderman suit in the lab in the garage.

“Peter dinner.” Pepper shouted from the house. Peter walked through into the kitchen and was immediately met by the strong scent of cheese burgers. Ned walked up to him holding a babbling Antonia. He was still amazed at her beauty. He loved her, his little daughter, and he was going to protect her from whatever the world threw at them.

After the family had eaten, they sat on the porch outside and Peter told Antonia stories of her grandfather Tony and his various crazy escapades making her giggle in that joyful uncontrollable way that little kids do until she fell asleep in her auntie Morgan’s arms. Morgan and Peter took her upstairs and put her in her bed.  
“I love you tons.” Morgan said tucking her in.  
“I love you 3,000.” She mumbled sleepily.  
Peter smiled and turned off the light.

They had come so far all of them. They had learnt to live and love again.

They sat back out on the porch together.

“I wish he could have met her.” Peter said. Morgan smiled.

“He knows her. Because he’s in the stars and he’s watching over us and looking out for us even if he isn’t here and he always will be.”

_Don’t you ever grow up_

_Don’t you ever grow up_

**Author's Note:**

> So, I might write some more based on the other songs on this album. (Not necessarily for the same fandom or anytime soon but you know.) Anyway, that aside this is my first time writing a song based fan fic and tbh I really enjoyed it despite the fact it took a while to write so there might be more of these idk you’ll have to wait and see. Also if anyone wants me to put any specific warnings for anything please say.


End file.
